You can deep clean your carpets yourself using either wet or dry methods. To begin, make sure that you've already vacuumed and spot-treated your carpet. You can use a carpet cleaner that will scrub the dirt out of the fibers using water and a special solution.
Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup borax, and 1/4 cup vinegar, then apply this paste to deep stains or heavily soiled sections of carpet. Allow the paste to sit on the carpet for several hours until it dries completely, then vacuum it away.
It is in the best of your interest to hire a professional carpet cleaning service merely because of their experience. This helps them to do a much better job than you can do it yourself. Further, their equipment has more extraction power than anything available to you.
Deep clean by hand
Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of your carpet. Mix carpet shampoo (that you've color tested) with warm water; then add the mixture to a spray bottle. Spray the cleaning liquid over the carpet. Brush with a carpet brush.
Your carpet will be only slightly damp to the touch after your cleaning. Most carpets typically need 6-10 hours to dry completely. However, it could take up to 24 hours to dry depending on the time of year your carpets are cleaned, and the air circulation, humidity and temperature in your home.
TLDR: Baking soda can be used to clean carpet because it is a powerful alkaline solution that when combined with acid produces dioxide gases. These oxidized gases are highly effective at removing stains from carpet and other materials with ease.
It's not unusual for DIY carpet cleaners to need eight or even 10 passes on a carpet before the water runs clear. This is especially true when: It has been a long time since your carpet was last deep-cleaned.
The only real issue with steam cleaning is that it doesn't reach deep stains very well as compared to shampooing. Shampooing the carpeting will use water just like the steam cleaning with the additional element of the shampoo, which helps to bring dirt to the surface before you need to scrub it away.
Steam is perfect for carpets, as it is often capable of delivering results without a reliance on caustic cleaning chemicals. Superheated steam is directed exactly where it is needed. And the latest steam cleaners use the optimum amount of water, ensuring your carpet isn't completely drenched afterwards.
Hot Water Extraction
Otherwise known as steam cleaning, this is easily the most common professional carpet cleaning technique. Steam cleaning uses hot water at high pressure to penetrate into carpet fibers, breaking down the dirt and bacteria stored deep within. The hot water is then extracted via vacuum.
The use of pressurised water agitates the carpet fibres and dislodges dirt from deep within the carpet and the vacuum immediately draws the waste out, leaving your carpet thoroughly clean. For the removal of stubborn stains and ingrained dirt, hot water extraction really is the best method of cleaning.
It's an effective way to clean carpets, and it's also safe for most carpets. Hot water extraction is also great for sanitizing carpets, as the hot water kills germs and bacteria. So if you're looking for a safe, effective way to clean your carpets, hot water extraction is the way.
Baking soda is the go-to solution for bringing your carpet back to life. Not only does it clean, it also kills bacteria, refreshes the pile and removes odours. Apply plenty of baking soda to completely cover your carpet then use a stiff brush to work it in, rubbing it in different directions.
White vinegar, mixed with an equal part of water, should do the trick. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray over the surface of the carpet. Let it sit for 20 minutes before using a cloth to dab the vinegar out. Blot the area with a water rag and then use another rag to get any of the remaining water out.
Pour a small amount of vinegar on the stain, followed by a sprinkle of baking soda. The vinegar works to saturate and soften up the offending mark while the baking soda does the lifting and deodorizing. Together, they bubble a little and work as a team to lift the stain to the surface.
After you get out your carpet cleaner, fill the clean tank to the line with hot (not boiling) tap water. Hot water does a better job cleaning than cold but, if you boil it, you run the risk of melting parts of your carpet cleaner.
The wet method (specifically professional truck-mounted carpet cleaning) is the best choice for heavily soiled and heavily trafficked areas. If drying time is of the essence, the dry cleaning method may be preferable, especially in an office situation.
Although 95% of the water used gets extracted when steam cleaning, the carpet remains slightly wet afterwards. When left to dry on its own, steam cleaned carpets will usually take 3-6 hours before it completely dries.
Carpets that still look dirty or have stains reappear after cleaning is a result of something called wicking. This is due to over wetting the carpet, the backing, and pad which causes them to return back to the surface once dry.
Wicking is when the carpet gets wet from cleaning, and the deeper parts of the carpet fibers absorb all that excess moisture. The deeper parts of the fiber then push that moisture upward through evaporation to the surface of the carpet, and this causes the browning of your home's carpet.
It is recommended that you try to stay off the freshly cleaned carpets until they are dry – about 6 hours. If you MUST walk over your damp carpet before it is dry use EXTREME caution. Where you transition from carpet to another hard surface, like tile or hardwood, can be very slippery.
How Long Do You Leave Baking Soda on Carpet? When cleaning your carpet with baking soda, let it sit for at least 15 minutes. The longer the baking soda stays on the rug, the more odor, dirt, and oil it will absorb, for a more thorough clean. Try leaving baking soda on the carpet overnight and vacuuming in the morning.
It's really straightforward – all you need to do is sprinkle a generous among of baking soda over your wet carpet and let it sit. The baking soda not only absorbs moisture, but it'll also absorb any nasty odours.
Leave the mixture to rest for one hour, giving ample time for the vinegar to react with the baking soda, thus softening the stain. Gently scrub the stained area with the scrubbing brush and wipe off the mixture with a dry cloth piece. Vacuum the area to remove any baking soda and vinegar residue.